


Gladiolus

by sakurakyouko



Series: Color Garden [1]
Category: Heathers (1988), Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: Anxiety, Bullying, Character Study, Gen, Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-02-28 23:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13282140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakurakyouko/pseuds/sakurakyouko
Summary: The desire to be seen and the desire to hide are powerful, intoxicating impulses. Heather Chandler was, at once, a master of both.





	Gladiolus

The desire to be seen and the desire to hide are powerful, intoxicating impulses. Heather Chandler was, at once, a master of both. She tamed them in herself, turned them into sharpened blades that laid her enemies low like no other. She hid her true self behind a mask of self-confidence and pride, which in turn gave her the attention she sought after. But her blades were double-edged swords, and Heather was acutely aware that all it takes is one slip. It’s all fun and games till she gets fucking beheaded.

She recognized her demons as they haunted the other Heathers, too. In Duke lay the need for positive attention, and the validation that comes with it; in McNamara, the need to shy away from scrutiny of a spotlight she never wanted. Pitiful, the both of them.

Heather loved them in her own way, though. They followed her like baby ducklings, but they didn't try to lift their wings and take to the sky for themselves. Why did they insist on riding her coattails, instead of making their own grabs for success? They could get anything they wanted in this world if they just goddamn _tried_.

Of course, Heather couldn't let them. If she kicked them out of the nest, they would either crash or soar. They could become her worst failures or her greatest threats, and she couldn't allow _that_ , now, could she? Duke, especially, concerned her. She had a strength inside her that Heather Chandler could only dream of, and the queen could not-- oh, who was she kidding?-- _would_  not share the throne.

McNamara, on the other hand, just plain confused her. She had the entire student body cheering with her whenever they filed into the gym, but her head turned it all into hateful shouts. She was sad and small inside, even when the world was at her feet. So Heather threw the girl a bone while they pushed Duke down low.

Poor Duke. Even Heather could admit she was being a bitch, but it was simple self-preservation. She had to make Duke feel weak to stay on top.

**Author's Note:**

> lmao originally published in present tense, but if this comes before jonquil, which is written in past tense, it's only right that i put this in past tense as well


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